Charging bucket



July l, 1952 J. N. RICHARDSON 2,602,000

CHARGING BUCKET 'Filed Jan. 51, 1948 8 /0 NW 2g 25 4 25 26 r9 TTOENEQS.

Patented July 1, 1952 CHARGING BUCKETV John N. Richardson, Portwashington, Wis., as-

signor to Modern Equipment Company, Port Washington, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 31, 1948, Serial No. 5,644

cally lowering the bell-shaped bottom. With the large bell type of bottom commonly used, all of the charge must fall outwardly of the periphery of the bucket with the result that the charge is thrown against the sides of the cupola, and then bounces back toward the center. Furthermore, due to this method of discharge there must be substantial clearance bet-Ween the periphery of the bucket and the sides of the cupola lining,

otherwise there is insufficient room for the charge to fall downwardly.

In melting iron in a cupola, coke is placed in the bottom to extend some distance above the tuyres and each succeeding layer of iron is accompanied by a layer of coke in order to maintain the bed at this proper melting height. In large cupolas where iron and coke are solidly packed in the center of the cupola and loose near the outside wall, the entering air will pass up the sides of the cupola because this is the path of least resistance due to the loosepacking. This causes poor combustion at the center of the cupola and chilling of the falling slag. Such chilled slag eventually blocks up the tuyres and may entirely stop the melting operation after a sucient periodl of time. It is thus apparentv that it is desirable to maintain a looseness near the center of the cupola and prevent a loose condition near the side Wall.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved charging bucket having a novel bottom construction which provides for efcient distribution ofthe charge with a loose .portion in the center of the cupola.

A further object of the invention is to provide a charging bucket having side wall portions which are of novel shape and having a fixed bottom portion of relatively small diameter, the side wall portions being segmental and hinged at their portion. .Y

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a construction as above described in which the Xed bottom portion is in the form of ,a bell of substantially less diameter than the diameter of the top opening of the bucket, the

'shapeof the bell tending to direct some of the material outwardly, and the lower portions of the swingable side walls being adapted to direct part 'of the material 'downwardly along the side wall of the cupola. 'V'Ihus,V the small bell and swingable sides causethe charge to be deposited in the cupola withv a looseness at the center, there being little bouncing from the sides as occurs withk the conventional bell-bottom bucket and therefore no dense packing at the center.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a bucket construction ask above described wherein there is a' bucket latch which is controlled by a tophorizontally projecting lever and wherein there is an enclosure for saidlever extending transversely of the bucket opening.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved charging bucket, and all its parts and combinations, as set forth Ain the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one complete* embodiment of the preferred form of ,the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a top view of the improved charging bucket; and y Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Referring `more particularly to the drawing,l the bucket includes a supporting band 5 having its upper edge welded or otherwise secured as at 6 to the inner circular edge portion of a flat ring 1. A flared rim portion 8 has its lower edge welded or otherwise secured to the top of the ring 'I as at 9. The band 5, ring 1, and rim 8 form a surrounding supporting member. l

Extending diametrically across the flared rim portion of the bucket is a horizontal elongated housing I0 whichis preferably square in crosssection and preferably formed of two channels Il line and l2 welded together with their open sides A latch supporting rod 2i) is guided for slidable movement in the tubular stem portion .Il of the bell I6. The rod 293 extends upwardly through the tube I3 and has its extreme," upper' end projecting into the elongated housing '(03 at the top of the bucket. Inthis locationit nts within the depending socket .portion .of Vaclevis 2l and the clevis, in turn, is pivotally connected as at 22 to the inner end of a lever 23. The

latter is pivoted within the housing IB on a pin 24 and has its outer end projecting through an opening 25 in the dared rim 8, the said outer end of the lever being provided with a knob or enlargement 2S which is .normally maintained in the full line position of Fig. 2 by a trip .lever 2l'. The latter is pivoted as at 28 to the outer end of a laterally projecting bracket 2S. The lower portion of the trip lever is enlarged as at @and adapted for impingement against an abutment yon the cupola lining to cause rocking of the.Y

trip lever to the dot and dash line position of Fig. 2 and release of the lever 23.

The lower end of the latch rod 23 extends through a central opening 3l in a latchingspider 32, there being a nut 33 threaded on the lower endof the rod 2D to maintain the spider .in position. The spider is provided with a plurality of laterally projecting arms 35, each havingan upwardly bent flange 35 at its outer end having an inclined inner face 36.

Hinged at their upper .edges as at 37 jto the lower portion of the band 3 are a plurality of segments 38 forming the sides of the bucket. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated there are six of such segments and in l the 4preferred embodiment each segment includes a flat upper portion 39 and a flat lower portion 39 which extends at an obtuse angle with respect to the upper portion 39. It is preferred. also, that when the sides are in the closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 2, that the upper portions 39 angle downwardly and outwardly. The objects of the invention may be accomplshed by having a greater or lesser number of side forming segments, and said segments may be of any selected form in cross-section. It is important, however, that the segments have lowerportions such fas the portions 3S which angle `o r curve downwardly and inwardly as Vshown in Fig.' 2. The side edges of the segments 'substantially abut along the lines 42 when the segments are in closed position.

It is preferred to have the lower edges of the segments provided with external strips of suit- 'able'material as at dil -to provide Vlocking seats shaped for coaction with the' tapered faces .36

of the'langes of the spider `arms 3d, .there being one spider arm for each segment.` Itis further to beinoted that the portion of 'the inverted cone 'l Bagains't which the lower edges of ithe 'segments -seat is hexagonal and formed of .straight edges IH which angle downwardly and inwardly and which edges are each of the 'same length `as Vthe width of the segmentpart which contacts Lit.

In use of the .improvedcharging bucket, after the 'bucket .has been `moved into the opening of .a

4 cupola by means of its carrier, a suitable abutment on the wall of the cupola lwill engage the enlargement 3B of the trip lever 27 to trip the lever from the full line position of Fig. 2 tc the dot and dash line position therein. This will release the lever 23. As soon as this has been accomplished the weight of the spider 32 will causet to move downwardlyto the. dot and dash line position of Fig. 2 lreleasingv the lower edges of the door segments 30. The weight of the material in the bucket will then cause the segments 3.8 to .swing on their hinges 31 to an open position as Vindicated by the dot and dash lines of Fig.2. Thispermits the charge within the bucket to falldownwardly. Some of this charge will 'engage the inverted corneal top of the bell i6 and be direotedin an outward direction. Other material will be directed by the portions 39 of the side wall segments downwardly along the side wall of the cupola. The charge which engages the inverted conical top is directed outwardly just enough to keep the rest of the charge from falling toward the center. Thus, a relatively loose condition is maintained at the center of the cupola to provide a propermelting condition. The member I6 is relatively small irl-.area so that the charge which is directed outwardly thereby does not hit the side walls in a manner to Lbounce back toward the center as occurs when theconventional full size bell bottom bucket is employed.

After the charge has been dropped thebalance .of the doors 38 is such that they tend to automatically swing by gravity back to a closed position.

It is to be noted that the elongated horizontal housing l D protects the lever 23 kfrom material-as the material is being loaded into'the'bucket. in addition, the latch actuating rod 2D is protected by the vertical tube I3. 5

Various changes and modincationsV may be made without departing from the spirit oigthc invention, and all of such changes are contemplated, as may come within the 4scope vof the claims. i

What -I claim as the invention is:

1. Acupola charging bucket comprising a fsurrounding supporting member, a centrally located bottom member, means connected to said supporting member for supporting said bottom member in a vertically lxed positiony spaced below the center of said supporting member,` a segmental side closure having segments which are hinged adjacent their upper edges to said .supporting member to form all side portions of the bucket and whichhave lower ends swingable from `a closing position with relation to one another rounding. supporting member, a bottom member havin-g an upper `surface-which slopes' downwardly and outwardly from a central apex, means connected to said supporting member for sup- -porting said bottom member in a vertically xed position spaced below the oenteror^ saidsupporting member, a segmental side closure having segments which are hinged adjacent their 'upper edges to said supporting member and which have downwardly and inwardly inclined lower portions, the lower ends of said portions being swing- `able from a closing positionwith relation toeach Iside closure'l having segments which ar'e'hinged adjacent their upper edges Vto "said supporting member and which have downwardly'andinwardly inclined lower portions, the lower'ends of Vsaid portions being swingable from a closing position with relation to each other and against said fixed bottom member to an open position' wherein saidv lower ends are spaced laterally therefrom, and means mounted on said bucket and engageable with the lower end portions of said segments `for releaseably latching said segments in closing position, said bottom member having a width equal to approximately one-half the widthl of said surrounding supporting member.

l `4." A cupola charging bucket comprising a surrounding supporting membea bottom member, means connected to said supporting member for supporting said bottom member in a vertically xed position spaced below the center of said supporting member, a segmental side closure having segments which are 'hinged adjacent their upper edges to said supporting member and which have downwardly and inwardly inclined lower portions, the lower ends of said portions being swingable from a closing position with relation to each other and against said fixed bottom member to an open position wherein said lower ends are spaced laterally therefrom, and movably mounted means on said bucket engageable with the lower end portions of said segments for releaseably pressing said segments in closing position against said fixed bottom member, the lower portions of said segments being shaped so that they are downwardly and inwardly inclined when in open position.

5. A cupola charging bucket comprising an annular supporting member, a conical bottom member, means connected to said supporting member for supporting said bottom member in a vertically fixed position spaced coaxially below the center of said supporting member, a segmental side closure having segments which are hinged adjacent their upper edges to said supporting member and which have downwardly and inwardly inclined lower portions, the lower ends of said portions being swingable from a closing position with relation to one another and against said fixed bottom member to an open position spaced laterally therefrom, and means on said bucket for releaseably latching said segments in closing position, the pivots of said segments being so located with respect to said conical bottom member that the segments automatically return by gravity to closed position against said bottom member.

6. A cupola charging bucket comprising a surrounding supporting member, a bottom member, means connected to said supporting member for supporting said bottom member in a xed position spaced below the center of said supporting 6 member, a. vsegmental side 'closure having segments which Aare hinged adjacent theirfupper edges tosaid supporting member. and 'whichihave lower ends swingable from'a closing positionwith 'relation `to one another-and against. said'fxed ,bottom member to an openposition spaced laterfally therefrom, a latch 1:for.=f'releaseabl'y*holding said segments in closed position, a'rod projecting upwardly from said latch land slidably supported relative to said surrounding supporting'member, a fulcrumed lever'near. the topof rthebucket having anv inner end pivotally connected` to said latch rod and having a'laterally projecting .outer end, and a releaseable trpleverlengageableawith said outer end of the' lever. -r f' f 7. A cupola charging 'bucket comprising a-'s'urrounding supporting member,`an elongated member extending horizontally acrossfsaid support- .ing member. an outwardly' flared fbottom-'memzber, means connected to said elongatedhorizontal member for supporting said flared'bottom member'in vertically iixedpositionbelow' the center of said surrounding supporting fimember, 'a segmental 'sidej closure having segments whichlare hinged to said supporting 'member 'and-@which have lower Yends swingable from fa closing position lagainst said fixed bottom memb'ertoan open `position spaced laterally therefrom, vand movably Amounted means on said bucketc'oac'ting with said bottom member for releaseablylatching saidse'gments in closing position.v l H 8.' A cupola charging bucketfcomprisingfa.surrounding supporting member, an outwardly flared lbottom member,` means connected to "said sup'- porting member for supporting' said outwardly -aredbottom memberfin a verticallyf'xedposition spaced below thecenter of said'fsupr'iorting member, a segmental-'side closurerhavingsegments' which arefhin'ged' adjacent their' upper edges to said supporting member and which have lower ends swingable from a closing position with relation to one another and against said fixed bottom member to an open position spaced laterally therefrom, a latch positioned below said bottom member, saidlatch being formedto releaseably hold said segments in closed position when the latch is in latching position, a rod projecting upwardly from said latch and slidably supported relative to said surrounding supporting member, and releaseable means for holding said rod and latch in raised latching position.

9. A cupola charging bucket comprising a surrounding supporting member, an outwardly flared bottom member, means connected to said supporting member for supporting said ilared bottom member in a vertically fixed position spaced below the center of said supporting member, a segmental side closure having segments which are hinged adjacent their upper edges to said supporting member and which have lower ends swingable from a closing position with relation to one another and against said fixed bottom member to an open position spaced laterally therefrom, a latching spider positioned below said bottom member and having arms engageable with all of the segments when the spider is in latching position and when said segments are in vclosed position, a rod projecting upwardly from said latching spider and slidably supported relative to said surrounding supporting member, and releaseable means for holding said rod and latching spider in a raised latching position.

1G. A cupola charging bucket comprising a surrounding supporting member, an outwardly iiared bottom member, means including a vertical tube `depending from said supporting memberforsupf vporting said dared bottom .n'iember in a vertically fixed position'below the center oisaid 'supporting member, a segmental side closurefhaving -segments which are hingedxadjacent their fupper edges to said supporting member and whichfhave lower ends swingablef-roma closing position with relation to one .another and' against said fixed 'bottom member to` an open position spaced laterally therefrom, va latch position below said bottom member for Vreleasealcnly holding said segments in closed position, a-'rod slidablyprojecting upwardly :from said latch through said-bottom member and within said tube, and means near the top of the bucket for releaseably maintaining said rod and latch in a raised latching position.

- .11. A cupola charging bucket comprisinga surrounding vsupporting member .having a material receiving opening therein, a bottom.memberfin the form of a cone, means connected to said sup'- portingimember for supporting said bottom mem,- ber'in a'vertica-lly fixedposition spaced below V.the center Vof said :supporting member, a-segmental side closure having segments whichare hinged adjacent their upper edges vto said supporting member and which have vlower portions inclined downwardly 'in' a Vreverse .direction from the finclined surface of the conical bottomfmember, the

'lower ends of said vsegment portions being swingable from a closing position .with relation =to...eaeh e other and against a lower peripheral' portion of -said fi'lxed bottom Amember to an open .position wherein said lower ends are spaced laterally therefrom, 'and means for ireleaseably latohing said segments in closing position. n p f 12. A .cupola charging bucket ,comprising .a' surrounding .supporting .member having a. material receiving opening therein, an elongated hollow housing extending horizontally :across saidsupv'portingmember;a bottom member, -a tube depending from said elongated hollow vhousing and Vconnected at-its lower end to said 'bottom member Ato support the latter in fixed position below the center of said surrounding supporting member, a segmentalside closurevhaving segments which are hinged adjacent their upper ends to said supments in closingvposition, an actuating rod for said latch extending slidablyupwardly through saidbottom member andwithin said tube and having its upper end-projecting sli'dably into said elongated hollow member, a lever pivoted within saidhollow member and having its inner end pivotally connected 'to the upper end of said rod and having its outer end -proj eoting externally, and a releaseable external trip member positioned vfor releaseable engagement with the outerend of said lever.;

l v JOHN N. RICHARDSON.

.I A REFERENCES errno The following references are ofrecord in the of this patent: l Y

UNITEDsTATEs PATENTS .Number Name y y :Date l 1,411,453 A Nolan Apr. 4, 1922 1,479,384 Healey Jan. 1, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS lurnberr Country l Date 622,757 Germany Nov. 14, Y1935 28,117 Great Britain Dec. 6, 19.13 

